Straw-cutting attachment for harvesters



Jan. 8, 1929.

H. V, MCKAY STRAW CUTTING ATTACHMENT FOR HARVESTERS Filed Ja 16. 1925 Patented dan. 8, 1929.-

arras *A tareas HUGH VICTOR MGKAY, or sUNsnrNE, AUSTRALIA, assit-mon To rr. v. Mem-iv Pao- Y :eitrETAnY LnarTEn, or sensi-Train, AUSTRALIA-k STRAW-CUTTING ATTACHIEIT FR HARVESTERS.

Application filed January 16, 1925, Seriallllo. 2,902, and in Australia April 24, i324.

The invention has reference generally to improvements in harvest-ing machines and more particularly relates to a straw cutting attachment therefor. y

a Briefly the invention may be said to consist of combined feeding and conveying means for directing gathered grain and straw to a fan casing having blades rotatably mounted therein and adapted to create a blast lo to convey the grain and strawto the threshing mechanism, fixed cutting means being positioned at the intake opening of thefan casing and coacting with the conveying member and fan blades whereby the straw will be cut into short lengths and will not clog or interfere with the action of the fan.

The heads of the grain may be removed by a comb and beater arrangement; the means for conveying the heads transversely may comprise rotating helical heater blades operating within a drumand a draught produced by a fan which likewise is adapted to deliver the heads to a grain separating an cleaning apparatus. f

The conveyance of the heads to .the grain separating and cleaning apparatus by the draught of air created by the fan eliminates mechanical conveyors, and, for this purpose, the said fan is provided with a tangential 30 throat leading to a chute (not shown) through which the threshed grain and chaff are directed to the cleaning mechanism. Another feature resides in means for enabling a portion of the saine blast of air to be utilized in the cleaning of the threshed grain.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views The invention consists essentially in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts shown in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification but more particularly set out in the appended claiming clause.

Figure l is a view in sectional front elevation of a beater drum and fan,

Figure 2 is a view in sectional side elevation taken on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. l, and

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the details and construction of the same.

In these drawings the numeral 20 designates the beater drum vwhich is mounted on the front of the machine (not shown) and at the rear of a comb 2l constructed and arranged in the ordinary way. A shaft 22 passes axially through the drum 20 and is rotated by suitable means not shown) One or more helical combined beating and conV yveying blades 28 are supported on arms 29 fitted to the said shaft and when more than one blade is used they are interwoven with each other or arranged inthe same manner as multiple threads on a screw.

The pitch of the vcombined beating and con-A veying'blades 28 can be approximately equal to the diameterof the beater drum 2O or it may be slightly greater than the diameter of the said drum. o In Figures l and 2 of the drawings the beater shaft 22 is shown supporting two helical blades 28. Y

In the drawings the beater blades 28 are Y forcibly upward through a tangential throat I 32 to a thresher or the like (not shown).

The intake opening 37 of the fan may be of l the same diameter or approximately the same diameter as the beater drum 20.

In Figure 1 the beater blades 28 are shown terminating close to the eye ofthe fan and a curved cutting blade 38 is fitted to the inside of the fan casing at the back of the said eye. The curved cutting blade 38 is formed with a serrated cutting edge which is so disposedthat any long straw entering the beater drum and passing to the eye of the fan will be cut into short lengths and thereby obviate the choking of the fan.

rIhe ends of the beater blades 28 adjacent to the fan casing may bebent to lie in a y plane passing transversely through the beater drum and as shown in Figure l.

The back and lower part of the fan casing v30 is disposed at some distance from the periphery of the rotor l2 carrying the fan blades 31 and a screen 43 is secured within the casing so as to lie Close to the rear and underside of the said rotor.

The screen 42 may consist of a piece ,0f stout wire gauze supported on angle shaped side members 44 removably itted within the fan easing. y. p y

When the screen 1s removably inserted in the casing-of the tan the forward end thereoiV the grain from partially threshed heads and thereby assists in the action of threshing the same. v Y

When the fan is in operation portion of the air blast will be passed through the perforations in the screen and loe-projected up behind the same to meet the material, it

enters the thresher (not shown).

It will be obvious that in different types oi machines the threshing and winnowing apparatus may vary considerably and that In a machine of the character described, in

eombin ation, a casing having anintake opening, fan blades operating in the easing, means for conveying' material to said intake opening, a eurved'serrated knife fixed adjacentto said intake opening and eoactingfwith the conveying means and the fan-bladeswhereby straw will be .cut into `short lengths,fand a screen interposed between the fan blades and the casing, substantially as and i'or the purposes described. f

y HUGH VICTOR MCKAY. 

